My engine seems to make pretty good power and runs just fine (shop
rebuild last year - new stock piston, rings, cam, etc...no
performance mods except a K&N air filter and White Bros slip-on) but
I'm getting lots of residue from the exhaust. On start-up, it seems
to be burning oil (whitish-blue smoke and smell) but clears up after
it is warm. After a good ride, I get a lot of thick black soot built
up on the side of my cooler rack (side exiting WB pipe). Not just a
little, quite a bit each ride, you can scrape it off and get a bunch
of it under your fingernail. I use steel wool to clean it up each
ride.

I'm running a 137 main jet at 4500' feet so it should not be too rich - correct ? My first thought was that I broke it in wrong and got poor ring seating but a compression test shows almost 180psi !?

Anybody else had this situation ?

Any ideas ??

Thanks

 

did you replace the valve seals. did you check your float level

 

Sounds like it "could be" valves to me.

 

I agree with macgiver,after a rebuild, if new seals aren't used,oil will get by,usually gives you the "blue puff" on start up,and goes away later. with after market pipes,especially the ones with external disc set up,you will get a little soot on outside parts,but it sounds like you are a bit rich. The best way is to do a full throttle run,if it skips on top,come down a jet until it clears up, then adjust the needle to clean up the top end after that. 137 is about stock for sea level, if I remember correctly, so at 4500 feet,you may be a bit rich. The suggestions to check float level are good,too,should be about 10 to 12 mm,an over full carb can put extra fuel in the intake.

 

Thanks for the tips ! I do not think the shop replaced the valve seals. Would a compression check still turnout good if it was the valve seals ? Pardon my ignorance but is that a fairly simple thing to fix on a Warrior after the motor is back in the bike ?

I've never checked the float level - in fact I'm not sure how to do it ? Any quick tips ?

Thanks again for the help - the ole Warrior is a great bike and I'm just concerned it's not healthy.

 

Worn valve seals usually should not affect a compression check.

 

Sorry,but putting in new valve seals means taking the head off, removing the valve springs,and pressing on new seals.If the shop that overhauled it didn't put in seals, I would lean on them to back up their work,smoking right after a rebuild is not good,and if they are an honest shop,they will eat the cost of making it right.
Checking float level is easy.Remove the carb,take the bowl off,flip it upside down.Use 6" slide rule to measure from the ridge in the middle of the float to the carb top(which is down,since you are holding it upside down) If it is not about 12mm,you must carefully bend the tang that holds the needle for the needle and seat assembly until you get the correct reading.If you have a tiny needle nose,you can bend it without taking the float out,otherwise,you need to remove the rod and pull the float to get at the tang better. While the carb is apart,now is a good time to blast carb cleaner into every hole you can find,(on the carb!)make sure it is all clean inside,wear safety glasses,it can come flying out into your eyes,and stings real bad!! Hope this helps you out some. Maybe try putting in a one size smaller jet while it is apart,see if that helps,too.

 

Another thing I forgot to mention before is that it's going through oil much more than before the re-build. Seems I have to add about 1/2 qt every 2-3 rides (say 100 mi or so). There are NO leaks so it must be directly linked to the soot. I'll "chat" with the shop about the valve seals - I'd bet my paycheck they didnt replace them.

I'll check the float level tonite -thanks for the instructions 95wolv.

It makes decent power, does not run hot (even in the AZ desert @ 100deg), and appears to be reliable as ever, what's the long term down side of leaving it alone ??

Thanks again, Eric

 

The valve seals would not leak that much,otherwise you would see blue smoke all the time. A real probable cause is if you are really rich,the extra gas is washing the oil from the cylinder walls,and burning it,since it is mixed with gas,you don't get the blue smoke steady,and probably makes for extra soot on the tail pipe.